Is 720p the highest resolution possible for progressive scan video formats?

[Stephen Tashi]

TL;DR Summary

Is there a defined relation between various video formats such as *.mp4, *avi and the "signal format" 720p?

For a DVD player, the amazon website https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZZMB571/?tag=pfamazon01-20 has the notes:

• Supports full HD 1080p upscaling - plays almost any format DVD, AVI, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, Vc1, MPEG1, MPEG-2. Does not support Blu-ray discs.
• Built-in USB port: playback your video, picture and music from USB flash drive. Note: the HDMI DVD player can only support USB 2.0 Flash drive up to 16 Gb and plays video files up to 720p via USB

Do the definitions of various video formats such as *.mp4, *.avi allow them to specify a "signal format", such as "720p"
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720p) ?

 

[Wrichik Basu]

720p is a resolution. mp4 and avi are video formats. A mp4 video can have different resolutions, like 480p, 720p or 1080p. Same for avi and other formats. Don't confuse resolution with formats.

The DVD player says that it supports up to 1080p resolution and can play DVD, AVI, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, Vc1, MPEG1, MPEG-2 format videos.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

The DVD player says that it supports up to 1080p resolution and can play DVD, AVI, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, Vc1, MPEG1, MPEG-2 format videos.

Is "CD-R/RW" a video format? I think of things like "CD-R/RW" as specifying a physical type of CD.

 

[Wrichik Basu]

Is "CD-R/RW" a video format? I think of things like "CD-R/RW" as specifying a physical type of CD.

You are right; they have just listed the type of CD/DVD that the player can handle along with the video formats. The player has a USB port, and that is why they have listed the video formats along with the type of CD/DVD.

 

[rcgldr]

The DVD player says that it supports up to 1080p resolution and can play DVD, AVI, CD, CD-R/RW, DVD-R/RW, DVD R/RW, Vc1, MPEG1, MPEG-2 format videos.

That video player description states that it can upscale to 1080p, which implies that it can't handle actual 1080p inputs, and can't play blu-ray discs. There's no mention of 4k (2160p) media, so apparently it's an older player.

 

[hmmm27]

At a guess, the codec may or may not be written to support some resolutions.

 

[berkeman]

Summary:: Is there a defined relation between various video formats such as *.mp4, *avi and the "signal format" 720p?

(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/720p) ?

Interesting. I'd always assumed that the number represented the number of horizontal pixels per line, but apparently it's the number of non-interlaced vertical lines. Learn something new at the PF every single day...

The number 720 stands for the 720 horizontal scan lines of image display resolution (also known as 720 pixels of vertical resolution).[1] The p stands for progressive scan, i.e. non-interlaced. When broadcast at 60.00 frames/s[note 1] frames per second, 720p features the highest temporal resolution possible under the ATSC and DVB standards. The term assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, thus implying a resolution of 1280×720 px (0.9 megapixels).